Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-10
HOW THE SHAH LIVES.
Nasr- Fd-Deen Seeking Relief from
OfficiaI Duties as Hunter.
Fron4 the Cowrier-JoErmai.

/ ar immersed in severe Intellectual labors,
"a better for hobby or favorIte sport.
| The Shah is no exception to this rule.
Undoubtedly his excellent health through
a nrotracted reign is due in measure to
his partiallty for sports OF the field. At
least fortnightly during the winter the
Shan visits one of his numerous pavil-
4 IONS in the suburbs, and devotes himself
to the chase. The day before such an
4 excursion the open space without the
gate of the palace is crowded with mules
4 sind camels, which form part o. the royal
i rneuage, and the entire day is devoted to
loading them with the various articles
that may be needed by the King and his
H wives. If the season be the spring or
autumn. then numerous tents of the larg-
est size are added, greatly increasing the
number OF the. loads. The tents of the
high dignitaries OF Persia are of great
size, sometimes sixty to eighty feet in
length, divided into apartments and lined
with choIce embrOideries. That part OF
the camp occupied by the wives is sur
rounded by painted canvas wall, and,as
the royal tents are OF crimson, the effect
is UNIQUE. The caravan starts several
hours before the Shah, in order that all
NAV be in readiness against his arrival.
At sunrise of the day he is to start
cannon announces the event. In early
times it was the custom to publish his
departure by throwing q red ban
ner to the breeze from the top OF high
tower.
During the summer. from May to Sep
temher inclusive, the shan passes from
one superb country-seat to another, and
takes long expeditions into the noun
tains. He IS then accompanied by
number of his wives. All of these re-
sorts are beaut1tled by tanks or artificial
0akes, acres in extent, Enclosed by ma
sonry and shaded by dense groves. re-
member tank that was surrounded by a
line OF small houses exactly alike. and
each containing one room. These were
intended for the favorite wives, while
above lowered the pavilion of the Shah
in three lofty stories, elegantly deco
rated.
When the buildings are insufficient to
accommodate all the wives, whether of
the Shah or his Ministers, at these sum-
mer resorts, it is not unusual for the
ladiessto occupy tents in the grounds, while
heir lord repOses luXuriously under the
shelter of a solid roof. One rarely hears
the women of Persia complain. With
them ignorance is bliss.
DOchan Tepeke, another of the Shah's
favOrite resorts, presents series of
struggling ODe-story buildings along the
activity of a steep, barren rock. The
extreme upper apartment is planned to
remind the Shah OF his sea voyages. 1t
is long and low like a steamers, cabin,
and the windows on either side are
shaped like the round headlights of a
ship, and closed with swinging bulls
eyes, screwed to an iron frame, as in a
steamer. There, with a gale beating
against that eagles nest five hundred
feet above the plains. the Shah sits many
winter night and imagines himself
again at sea. The whims OF the great
are not without interest as they tend to
show that they share our common
humanity.
When the wives of the Shah accom-
pany him on these trips, they travel in
tachtravans when going over the noun
tains. These are covered filters, resem-
bling palanquIns, carried between the
mules. But in the envlrons of Teheran
these ladies always go in certain curious
coaches that date apparently almost from
prehistoric times. These vehicles} are
drawn by six horses each, and in shape
resemble an old-fashioned stage coach.
They are painted blue and profusely
gilded. The royal escutcheOn OF Persia,
the Lion and the sun, is emblaZOned on
the doors. There are no seats in these
coaches, but the floor is covered with a
mattress, on which rugs are spread. On
this the ladies are won't to SIT on their
knees.
the ladies to go abroad from the palace,
which they always do with a large pro-
cession of coaches, mounted heralds are
sent half an hour in advance to announce
their coming in the streets they are to
traverse. Great cOmmOton Immediately
ensues. The very ours, fighting or hunt
ing their native preserves in the middle
OF the street, scent the alarm and stink
into hidden corners. while every shop
keeper hastens to close his booth and re-
tires from the scene. Bystanders and
waytarers take the nearest shortcut that
may lead them away from these danger
Gus precincts, and soon the street Is en-
tirely deserted.
rumbling is soon heard in the dis
lance; then squad of gholams or
mounted guards OF the palace, corps OF
picked cavalry, are seen approaching.
coon after the chief eunuch, arather plea
sant-loOklng white man, follows, aud
tnen the line of blue coaches filled with
ladies closely veIled. Mounted eunuchs
protect the last carriage, and another
squadron OF cavalry brings up the
rear OF the procession, but at a
Instance from the coaches sufficient 60
prevent too close observation OF the fair
inmates.
Woe be to the luckless wight who hap
pens to be so incautious or unfortunate
as to be found in the street when the pro-
Sessloh passes. In former times he would
nave been slain on the spot. There Is
case on record In which the fOrerunners
discovered page asleep on rug by the
Wayslde. Without so much as stopping
TO wake him, they rolled him up in the
rug, tossed him into ditch and buried
MIN alive. While such terrible fate
might not perhaps await any one now
VINO should be caught in SUCH predca-
meht, yet he would at least receive a
kicking, and thrasbIng that he would re-
member to his dying day. Even the
senuhels posted in the street or In palace
gates must turn face TO the wall when the
Ioyai corlege passes, and present arms
from Dehlnd' Gen. Gasteiger, an Aus
ulah IN the service OF the Shah, was on
one occasion unable 10 get away as the
coaChes entered the street; turning TO the
wan ne Wagged his hand at mis- back BY
way OF salute. Even the Shah condo.
scended to laugh when he heard of this
absurd incident, although he shows no
disposition TO relax the very strict
customs relating to his wives. Europeans
are not exempt from this strictness, and a
foung foreigner, who was detected look
ing from the roof OF his house on the royal
!aules as they rode by, was given twenty
Iour hours to leave for the frontier.
hls legation could afford him no pro-
lection as he had offended against the